


killing me softly with his song

by injeoImis



Series: stillness in woe [13]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Orchestra, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Piano, Violins, pianist!hyuck, violinist!renjun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 20:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17946671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injeoImis/pseuds/injeoImis
Summary: in which music and silence speak louder than words.





	killing me softly with his song

**Author's Note:**

> tbh i know more abt the violin than the piano bc i used to be in an (high school) orchestra so… there’ll probably be less piano terminology than violin terminology. sorry piano enthusiasts. also i was inspired by your lie in april and smth i saw on tumblr but i can’t find the link oops hehe
> 
> pieces i refer to: gymnopédie no.
> 
>  
> 
> [1](https://open.spotify.com/track/5NGtFXVpXSvwunEIGeviY3?si=MgDbwJAFTg6CvsuK4rjfVA) ,   
> [2](https://open.spotify.com/track/5SBERonheeqbIhNqPTctU6?si=6wt2SqDLRSC0sIs9_iMFVw) ,   
> [3](https://open.spotify.com/track/0hZBK2IS2uKdWVwEWXX1vB?si=VQNIbQtlT_64CnwLvWdyCA) ;   
> [ nocturne ](https://open.spotify.com/track/5MsCgTtGQvKdLfOPKAhhUB?si=ANMQeT3dSG6f_0dcMEe4XA)  
>   
> 

It wasn’t a surprise to see Renjun with bandages around his small fingers, usually caused by the stress put on them from playing the violin most of the time. From practicing switching to pizzicato to his bow and vibratos, Renjun’s friends knew not to stress about what he got up to after class.

 

Which is exactly what he was doing right now as the two of them walked through Myeong-dong. Renjun could feel Chenle’s alternating gaze from his eyes to his fingers, the older absentmindedly continued to complain an upcoming competition he’s been signed up for by his coach. By all means, Renjun wanted to do it but he also felt that he hadn’t improved from the last one, the third place title not satisfying his competitiveness and need for constant validation.

 

They walked their way back to the train station, Renjun occasionally eating his yangnyeom tongdak and Chenle nodded at all the right times. “So, basically, if I don’t get to advance to the prelims, I’m dropping out of college,” Renjun stated, just to make sure Chenle was still listening. “Yeah, me too.” His friend replied, dropping his paper cup in one of the nearby trash cans.

 

Renjun sighed, bumping his shoulder into the younger, yet taller, boy’s shoulder. “You’re not even listening. This is why I complain to Jaemin about these things,” He muttered the last part, copying Chenle and discarding his cup before they stepped on the oncoming train.

 

“Sorry, Renjun. There’s only so many violin terms you can say before I start to zone out because I don’t know what they mean. You should've played the piano. At least then I could sympathise with you a little bit,” Chenle raised an eyebrow, suggestively. “I’ve been playing the violin for nine years of my life, I’m not going to stop just to play the piano.” Renjun commented, sniffling. “Besides, being an accompanist is super boring. I don’t know how you do it.”

 

Chenle rolled his eyes, “Try sitting through one of your competitions and listening to Salut d’amor, Op. 12 for two hours.” Renjun frowned. Chenle did have a point. “Whatever,” He replied, wishing he could teleport himself back to his apartment instead of having to brave this fifteen minute train ride. Now that he was done complaining, Chenle would take the time to talk about all the fun stuff his life consisted of when Renjun wasn’t around and while he was with his boyfriend, Jeno, who Renjun had yet to meet while Sicheng and Kun had already met the guy which of course, Renjun was mad about. Renjun practically raised Chenle and he wasn’t even the first person to meet his boyfriend? The audacity of people you thought were your friends…

 

Once he split ways with Chenle and got back to his apartment, Renjun quickly showered and changed into another set of clothes to go out to the studio. He grabbed his violin case and began the trek he could probably do blindfolded and his sense of hearing taken away.

 

He knew his coach wouldn’t be there but the nineteen year old would take any chance he could get if it meant extra practice. Besides, the competition was only a week away. Before he knew it, the day would come and he’d be on stage performing Nocturne at a music hall not too far from campus.

 

Renjun greeted the receptionist, stepping into the hallway of many practice rooms before coming upon his usual one. Most days it was empty at this time, allowing Renjun to utilise it in peace and solidarity but tonight seemed to be different. There was already another person inside but they were at the piano, clearly invested in the piece they were performing. Taking out his own headphones, Renjun recognised it as Gymnopédie No. 1, a piece familiar to those who were Music majors at any university, really.

 

Although he wasn’t a Music major, there was no chance he hadn’t heard the song before. It was one he was fond of, one he could rely on to listen to when studying, especially the continuations, Gymnopédie numbers 2 and 3, although there would be a special place in his orchestra nerd heart for the first installment of the trilogy.

 

Renjun stood in the doorway, admiring the player and their talent despite playing such a simplistic song. He wondered, when the person would acknowledge his presence or if they were waiting for Renjun to finally give up and retreat to another a room. He would never give up this room though. The view of the sunset from the window was too nice to let someone else witness, even just for one day.

 

“You could take a video if you’d like.” Renjun could only assume the person at the piano was finally talking to him, while still playing some keys, although these did not belong to any specific piece. “No, I’m good. Just wanted to know when you’d be done? I need this room.” Renjun settled on replying. “Hm, I don’t know, honestly.” He could hear the smile in the person’s voice as they pressed on the damper pedal after they pressed the last key. Renjun rolled his eyes.

 

“You’re always so dramatic, aren’t you?” He commented. “If you aren’t, then someone has to make up for it.” Donghyuck replied, throwing a smile over his shoulder. Renjun entered the room and closed the door behind him. He set up his music stand and sheet music, hoping that he wouldn’t need it. Donghyuck sat at the piano bench, watching as Renjun did his daily routine. Usually he’d have to wait until the competition to witness Renjun in all his violinist glory but tonight, both of them seemed to have other plans.

 

The silence before they started was not awkward, as nothing between them ever was, but instead calming. Renjun knew as soon as he gave _the_ look over his shoulder, the piano accompaniment would start as well so he did just that, raising his bow and beginning to play Nocturne. Nothing in that moment mattered to either of them besides the others presence and the music filling their ears for another three or so minutes.

 

The aforementioned silence returned as they finished, Renjun setting his bow and violin down into their respective spots in its case, just in time as the sun began to lower itself below the horizon.

 

Donghyuck walked over to the window, though most of the side of the wall was a window.

 

“Retiring for the day, huh?” Renjun whispered, as if talking at a normal volume would ruin the moment. Donghyuck laughed, though it was more of an exhale through the nose. “It was a long one,” He answered, intertwining his fingers with Renjun’s calloused ones.

 

It was interesting. Two completely different people who played two completely different instruments. The piano, a percussion instrument. The violin, a string instrument. Depending on the major or minor, both can be loud and rambunctious or melancholic and tranquil. Quite similar to how Renjun and Donghyuck contrasted each other.

 

“We should go home,” Donghyuck suggested, as the sun finally fell away, behind the looming buildings around them. Renjun frowned. He wanted to protest, insist that he should play his piece at least two more times before they go but the younger was already zippering Renjun’s violin case and keeping it away from the older’s reach.

 

“You won’t even be able to play by Saturday if you keep rehearsing like this,” Donghyuck refused, standing in the doorway. Renjun rolled his eyes. “Buzzkill.” Donghyuck scoffed, “I’d rather not have you collapse of exhaustion in two days on a stage in front of two hundred people, babe.”

 

“I’ll survive.” Renjun protested. “I wouldn’t,” Donghyuck countered, holding the door open as they left the studio.

 

“You know I do this because I worry about you, right?” Donghyuck asked, glancing at Renjun as they drove home.

 

There was a beat of silence. “I know…”

 

The white noise of the reoccuring silence returned. To any outsider, it may seem that the conversation was over but to familiar ears, it had only just started.

 

**Author's Note:**

> yeah idk abt this one folks... kinda just wanted it out of my google docs :0
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/dunkyushot)  
>  [ko-fi](https://www.ko-fi.com/post/Commissions-S6S6STK1)


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